Enriching lives

Living the purpose of our lives

Two Questions1. If you woke up tomorrow and there

were no mobile phones, would you feel a loss?

2. Ask non-Muslims, ‘If you woke up tomorrow and there were no Muslims and no signs of Islam, would you feel a loss?’

Who are we benefiting?

اس 4خرجت للن 4مة أ 4م خير أ 4نت كوف وتنهون عن ون بالمعر4 تأم4ر4

4ون بالله 4ؤمن الم4نكر وتA’al imran 3: 110. You [Muslims] are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin al-Ma'ruf (all good)

and forbid al-Munkar (all evil), and you believe in Allah.

For the peopleTo benefit all people

Rasoolullahملسو هيلع هللا ىلص said1. “The best of people are those with the most

excellent character.” (Tabarani, Sahih)2. “The best of people are those that bring most

benefit to the rest of mankind.” (Daraqutni, Hasan)3. “The best of people are those who are best in

fulfilling (rights).” (Ibn majah, Sahih)

4وا أنفق4وا ذين آمن ها ال يا أي4م من قبل أن مما رزقناك

ة ل بيع فيه وال خ4 يأتي يوم الوال شفاعة

Baqara 2: 254.  O you who believe! Spend of that with which we have provided for you, before a day comes when

there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession.

It is not a sign of health to be profoundly adjusted

to a sick society. ~ J. Krishnamurthy

Action defines us •  Abu Sa’eed al-Khudree(RA) said: I heard Rasoolullahملسو هيلع هللا ىلص say, “Whoever sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then hate it in his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.”[Muslim]

To do nothing is a sickness, not an option

Benefit the whole world• Abdullah ibn Mas'ud(RA) was once asked, “Who are the living dead?”•He replied, “Those who never enjoin something good and never forbid something bad.” 

A Muslim is recognized by the goodness he creates

Enriching livesBy sharing

Born to share•We share air, water, food, knowledge, space and don’t run out of it as long as we don’t hoard or try to profiteer from it. • As long as we share, we all benefit.

Happiness is the product of sharing

What??1.Change our Teaching2.Change our Training3.Change our Thinking

Three critical changes

How??1. Integrated Teaching2. Vocational Education3. Entrepreneurship

Three Strategies

Change our TeachingFrom knowing to doing

Change our Teaching• From teaching stuff to teaching application• From testing memory to testing understanding• From enforcing compliance to encouraging creativity

Reward best question – not best answer

Integrated TeachingWhy do we need it?

Education today• Random information crammed without reason• Tested on random recall• No focus on showing relatedness of one to another• No focus on application in life

After 15 years of full-time study students graduate knowing little and

with no life skills

Bring the Qur’an aliveIntegrated teaching

ماوات واألرض إن في خلق الس4ولي هار آليات أل يل والن واختالف الل

األلبابون الله قياما وق4ع4ودا 4ر4 ذين يذك ال

ون في خلق ر4 4وبهم ويتفك ن وعلى ج4نا ما خلقت هذا ماوات واألرض رب الس

ار بحانك فقنا عذاب الن said هلالج لجAllahباطال س4 ويتفكرون

Qur’anic methodA’al Imraan 3:190. Verily! In the creation of the

heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for people of

understanding. 191. Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, AND think deeply about the

creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): “Our Rabb! You have not created (all) this without

purpose, glory to You! (Exalted are You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation

from the punishment of the Fire.”Allahهلالج لج used AND

Why this method?• Islam recognizes that all knowledge is from Allahهلالج لج and that the purpose of knowledge is to recognize our Creator and fill our hearts with His awe and majesty (Khashiyatullah)

The natural result is to connect to Allahهلالج لج

Project: Oceans• Biology: Marine plants &

animals• Physics: Displacement floats

ships• Chemistry: Why is sea water

salty?• Geography: Navigation,

Orienteering, sailing, Qibla• History: Maritime history of

nations, colonial domination

• Trade: Routes, goods, cultural exchange

• Tafseer: Ayaat relating to Oceans• Fiqh: Mathaa’il related to sea

water, food, travel etc.• Hadith: Ahadith related to the sea• Seerah: Stories of Seerah and

Sahaba about the sea

Living knowledge to be applied in context

Two Oceansذي مرج البحرين هذا عذب وه4و ال4جاج وجعل بينه4ما ف4رات وهذا ملح أ

برزخا وحجرا محج4ورا

How does this happen and where is this?

Furqan 25: 53. And it is He Who has let free the two seas (kinds of water), one palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter, and He has set a barrier and a complete partition

between them.

Project: Mountains• Geology: Isostacy of

mountains: Stabilizing effect on tectonic plates minimizing earthquakes

• Geography: How mountains effect climate

• Biology: Mountain flora & fauna

• History: How mountains affected history of nations

• Mountaineering: Physics of balance, load, atmosphere

• Tafsir: Ayaat related to mountains

• Seerah: Mountain of Uhud

• Hadith: Ahadith related to mountains

Draw lessons from all of these to connect to Allahهلالج لج

Class Organization• Multiple teachers• Students of multiple

ages• Access to technology• Asking good questions

• Challenge conclusions• Encourage critical Analysis • Encourage healthy debate• Encourage solutions

Focus on understanding, application, innovation, creative

problem solving

Proactive contributionImpose creative constraints

Change our Training1. From pure academics to

practical skills2. Vocational training3. Social entrepreneurship

Empowerment, compassion, solution

Vocational Training1. Equip every school with Vocational Training

facilities2. Every child must be able to work with his

hands3. Provide employment to artisans, mechanics,

engineersTake pride in dignity of labor

Entrepreneurship 1. Interest free loan to set up a

business2. Sell the products they make3. Use proceeds to create problem

solving initiatives for the deprived

Practical training in entrepreneurship

At a National Level1. National Entrepreneurship University2. National Venture Capital Fund3. Annual Award for Best Social Project

Poverty eradication through entrepreneurship

Change our ThinkingFrom ‘good for me’ to ‘good for us’

Change our thinking1. From saving to creating wealth2. From finding a job to creating

jobs3. From buying to building

From hoarding to sharing

Possessions add cost – not value

‘Master’ or ‘victim’It’s your choice

Window of opportunity• In the life of every man and woman comes a time when they have a unique opportunity to make an impact and influence others. When it closes your life is over, even if you remain alive

Our window is open now

The Essential TruthLiving life is about making choices:

Choosing to be a “victim” Or choosing to be a “master”

Both stances are subject to the same givens of society, environment, organization etc.

But have very different implications in terms of your development and happiness

Who’re you?Victims• Complain about what

happened• Think of excuses• Blame others• Lose hope & give up• Perish

Masters• Say, “what can I do about it?”• Think of solutions• Own responsibility• Have courage to try new

ways• Win, even if they fail

Choose wisely because it is your life

Action stepsStart

Stop

Continue

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